Fred Wooden
Fred Wooden (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Michigan's 3rd Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 7, 2018.
Wooden completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Wooden earned his B.A. from Washington University in 1975, his M.A. from the University of Chicago in 1977, and his doctorate of ministry from the Meadville Theological School in 1979. His professional experience includes serving as a parish minister.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
Incumbent Justin Amash defeated Cathy Albro and Ted Gerrard in the general election for U.S. House Michigan District 3 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for U.S. House Michigan District 3
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Justin Amash (R) | 54.4 | 169,107 |
 | Cathy Albro (D) | 43.2 | 134,185 | |
| Ted Gerrard (U.S. Taxpayers Party) | 2.4 | 7,445 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 3 | ||
| Total votes: 310,740 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Douglas Smith (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Cathy Albro defeated Fred Wooden in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 3 on August 7, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 3
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cathy Albro | 68.2 | 42,619 |
 | Fred Wooden | 31.8 | 19,903 | |
| Total votes: 62,522 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jeff Thomas (D)
Republican primary election
Incumbent Justin Amash advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 3 on August 7, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 3
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Justin Amash | 100.0 | 69,817 |
| Total votes: 69,817 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Joe Farrington (R)
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Fred Wooden participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on July 11, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Fred Wooden's responses follow below.[2]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | - Extending Medicare to all children, as the first step toward Medicare for All - Creating Universal Pre-K |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | - Truly serving our children so none are ill-housed, ill-fed, ill-educated or ill - Supporting families by working for a Living Wage, worker rights, affordable housing and healthcare |
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Fred Wooden answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | My ideal of a Congressperson was Barbara Jordan, and I have deep respect for Gerald Ford's example as well.[4] | ” |
| “ | Too many to mention them all. I find de Tocqueville ever insightful, Lincoln ever inspiring, Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes perpetually relevant, Dr. King undeniable, Audre Lord formidable, but the list is far larger.[4] | ” |
| “ | Duty, Integrity and Honor are my highest values in public service. I inculcated these as a Boy Scout and never thought to abandon them, even at my most angry moments with injustice in society.[4] | ” |
| “ | Forty years of public service as a clergyman, serving both congregations and organizations such as the Grand Rapids Urban League, the West Michigan ACLU Advisory Board, and others devoted to securing liberty and justice for marginalized people. I understand the complexity of communities, the messiness of democracy, that patience must be paired with commitment, and that there are no perfect laws, no perfect leaders, and no perfect solutions. But 'better' is always possible.[4] | ” |
| “ | A sense of responsibility - to the people who send you, their lives and their dreams. But also to the larger idea of America itself, to being a nation founded on equality and democracy and seeking liberty and justice for all. Honesty is equally important as democracy depends on trust, and trust demands honesty. Humility is the third quality, lest an elected person forget they work for the people and they must remain one of them to do that.[4] | ” |
| “ | Foremost would be securing healthcare for all our children, and real progress toward quality education for all. Second would be rebuilding rust and democracy in our government and for our government.[4] | ” |
| “ | The Cuban Missile Crisis, when I was nine. We lived in Baltimore and felt truly terrified.[4] | ” |
| “ | I was a stock boy in a record store, filling shelves and such, for about 6 months in high school.[4] | ” |
| “ | I only had one real date, and had no idea whether to shake hands or kiss the young woman I invited.[4] | ” |
| “ | Pictures of our two deceased infant sons. That's all we have of them.[4] | ” |
| “ | Self confidence. I am not naturally so, but have come to find that when I stand for others not just myself I am far more firm.[4] | ” |
| “ | The possibility that real people can take part in shaping the direction of the country by bringing their perspectives to bear. But it depends on a genuine commitment to serve the nation not just one's party or even one's district. A representative must represent the people at home, the values they espoused that earned their support, and the good of the nation overall, which is larger than the first two.[4] | ” |
| “ | Yes, but not exclusively. To the extent it equips a representative with knowledge and skills about the legislative process it is good. But if that overwhelms the larger moral calling it can be a problem. To serve people is a literal vocation, as the people call you to serve. Keeping that clear in the confusion of politics is perhaps the hardest task and no prior government experience can teach that in itself.[4] | ” |
| “ | The continued effect of racism continues to impede our moral and social progress. We need to recognize that dealing with this will make us all stronger and better. The impact of industry and finance has given us great wealth but at great costs - notably global warming and pollution, wide disparities income and wealth within and between nations, and resulting international issues. For America, creating a society and nation not defined by race, religion or language will be a generational task.[4] | ” |
| “ | Our current political-industrial complex is very much part of the problem we face, and we might consider changing terms from 2 to 4 years. We should also examine senate and presidential terms as well. This would slow the perpetual campaign that now dominates government itself. We our our elected people to govern more than they campaign. But this change would require a constitutional amendment and is thus only a remote possibility.[4] | ” |
| “ | Yes, but fairly long. I believe one should not spend over half a work life in Congress. Thus an overall limit of 30 years would make sense. Experience does count, and should not be the best informed advisors to members of Congress. I would say add that thirty years should comprise total service in House and Senate.[4] | ” |
| “ | Non-partisan commissions that include a majority of non legislators.[4] | ” |
| “ | My sole interest is to serve the district where I live.[4] | ” |
| “ | As mentioned above, Gerald Ford was and is an exemplary member of the House from our district.[4] | ” |
| “ | Too many to mention. But the man who lost his life partner to gay bashing years ago, whose grief could not be shared or his loss acknowledged reminds me that the dignity of every person is the bedrock of justice. We need elected persons to know how much some people have lost and suffered without being seen or heard.[4] | ” |
Biographical submission
Wooden submitted the following campaign themes through Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form:
| “ |
What is your political philosophy? I believe in the positive role of government to 'form and more perfect union, establishing justice' and so on, which means comes down to advancing equality and democracy as our foundations, and pursuing 'liberty and justice for all' as our goal. My hope is to be an advocate for those who are unheard, especially children, but also many who feel their lives and struggles are not seen or heard by those in government. I am a Democrat because government should be about the people, 'of and by and for the people,' and not for vested interests regardless of their influence or power. I run for office to witness to those values, advocate for them, and if elected to serve them. [4] |
” |
| —Fred Wooden[1] | ||
See also
- United States House of Representatives
- Michigan's 3rd Congressional District election, 2018
- Michigan's 3rd Congressional District
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted through Ballotpedia's biographical submission form on July 11, 2018.
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Fred Wooden's responses," July 11, 2018
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
